Maintenance leads to power problems at KU

Routine power line maintenance led to power problems Wednesday on the Kansas University campus.

An arcing power line around 1:30 p.m. quickly blacked out power to Kansas University east of Strong Hall. Power came back up after a few seconds, said Bob Porter, associate director of facilities operations, but the power was not at full strength.

"Motors overheat very rapidly when they don't have proper current running through them," he said. The "brownout" lasted about 13 minutes until KPL rerouted power, but in that time, several elevator and circulating fan motors overheated.

The brownout and smoke from the overheating motors set off fire alarms in three different buildings, bringing seven different Douglas County Fire & Medical units on campus.

One building was evacuated after the fire alarms. Firefighters found no fires when the buildings where checked.

Crews worked into the night to replace motors. Porter said he hoped to have everything up and running by early next week.